Gut & Nutrition

Is Your Kimchi Live? A GP on Choosing a Probiotic Kimchi

Written by

GP & Lifestyle Physician · Welvow Contributor

Not every jar of kimchi is a probiotic food. A GP and Lifestyle Physician on why some UK kimchi is pasteurised, which supermarket brands are live, and what to look for on the label.

I love kimchi, and I often suggest it to the people I see, both in my NHS work and privately, for its incredibly diverse populations of live bacteria to support gut health. Recently, though, I discovered that not all kimchi in fact has those diverse live populations.

Live or pasteurised: why it matters

Some kimchi sold in the UK is fermented and then pasteurised. That means it is, in effect, dead: not a living probiotic strain in sight. It is still tasty, and it still provides fibre, but it is not a probiotic food.

So I have looked at the most commonly available ones, so that I know what to recommend.

Supermarket brands

At the time of writing, this is how the most widely available brands compare.

Live, and a probiotic food

Vadasz Raw Kimchi. All the major supermarkets seem to stock this. It is a great all-round kimchi, mildly spicy and salty. As it says on the label, it is raw, and therefore live. I often find the jar releases a little pressure when I open it, which is a good sign that fermentation is ongoing.
The Cultured Collective. Currently I can only find this online at Sainsbury’s. Also live and raw, a bit spicier than the Vadasz, and very tasty.

Pasteurised, and not a probiotic food

Biona Organic Kimchi
Yutaka Korean Kimchi

Buying online

Online there is a greater range of stockists and kimchi types. Some boast over 200 strains of live beneficial bacteria, while others tend not to give numbers. The general understanding is that most live kimchis will have over 70 strains. For comparison, most probiotic capsules contain between 5 and 14.

"Look for a kimchi that says it is raw, live or unpasteurised."

Worth Exploring Further

Welvow includes nutritional therapists and lifestyle practitioners who can help you build fermented and fibre-rich foods into everyday eating, including Dr Fiona Martindale. Most offer a short introductory call, which is the easiest way to ask how they work before committing to anything.

Find your practitioner

When you’re choosing a kimchi, make sure you find one that states it is raw, live or unpasteurised for maximum benefit. The pasteurised jars are still a tasty, fibre-rich addition to a meal. They just won’t be bringing any live bacteria with them.